A journal of a Cajun's life wet shaving

[Jay21]

@Eric_75 Side story: the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is my favorite song of his. I teach a course on lakes, and one of things we do is calculate maximum wave height based on straight-line wind. I use the Edmund Fitzgerald as a real-life example of why that's important because the ship likely broke apart in huge waves.

 

[cajunrph]

300+ Shaves in 2024 104 of 300+
Vintage April 2024 18/30
Shave Date 4/22/2024
Razor: 1954 Flare Tip Super Speed
Blade: Nacet (3)
Pre-Shave: Razor Emporium Pre-Shave soap
Soap: PAA Awesome Sauce
Brush: Zenith Unbleached Boar
Post-shave: Alum Bock, Thayer's Witch Hazel, Nivea Post Shave Balm, Canoe EDT Splash.
Rating: 28.5/30 10 for Comfort, 10 for cuts and weepers(0), 8.5 for smoothness, neck stubble, BBS on the face, and DFS+++ neck.

Notes:
The third shave with the Nacet was a great one as well, I can't say it is getting better, but this feels like the best shave of the three thus far with the blade in terms of comfort, I have been forgoing chasing BBS for some days now which may be contributing to the perceived sense of increased comfort. I have figured out the best pass for the problem area on the right jawline, which allows me to shave it close enough that touch-ups aren't warranted. Today's shave is better than my typical 28/30, but not quite up to my 29/30 shaves. Awesome Sauce is a mentholated soap, an homage to Porasco Green, I am not a fan or a hater of menthol, but it is a welcomed change when I use it. You get quite an invigorating rush of menthol coolness during the shave and I can see those who like it and I can also understand those who do care for it. For me, every once in a while is the Goldiloc timing. The Canoe EDT Splash pairs nicely with it, although it is not as strong as a true EDT.

I got pulled over this morning heading to work, somehow I missed the patrolman lying in wait in the medium of the highway. I pulled into the church parking lot, which is on the way to work. I got the old man on a Beemer treatment, just a warning for 74 in a 60. Maybe Fr Dwight saw me and said a prayer as well. Memories of the weekend are still fresh and I am showing my techs the pics and reminiscing with them, all is grand in the land. I want to wish all a blessed Monday, may all your shaves be the best.

 

[Eric_75]

Maybe Fr Dwight saw me and said a prayer as well.

That always helps. I spoke with my friend Fr. James (CMI) in TN yesterday.

 

[blethenstrom]

I got pulled over this morning heading to work, somehow I missed the patrolman lying in wait in the medium of the highway. I pulled into the church parking lot, which is on the way to work. I got the old man on a Beemer treatment, just a warning for 74 in a 60. Maybe Fr Dwight saw me and said a prayer as well. Memories of the weekend are still fresh and I am showing my techs the pics and reminiscing with them, all is grand in the land. I want to wish all a blessed Monday, may all your shaves be the best.

 

[Jay21]

300+ Shaves in 2024 104 of 300+
Vintage April 2024 18/30
Shave Date 4/22/2024
Razor: 1954 Flare Tip Super Speed
Blade: Nacet (3)
Pre-Shave: Razor Emporium Pre-Shave soap
Soap: PAA Awesome Sauce
Brush: Zenith Unbleached Boar
Post-shave: Alum Bock, Thayer's Witch Hazel, Nivea Post Shave Balm, Canoe EDT Splash.
Rating: 28.5/30 10 for Comfort, 10 for cuts and weepers(0), 8.5 for smoothness, neck stubble, BBS on the face, and DFS+++ neck.

Notes:
The third shave with the Nacet was a great one as well, I can't say it is getting better, but this feels like the best shave of the three thus far with the blade in terms of comfort, I have been forgoing chasing BBS for some days now which may be contributing to the perceived sense of increased comfort. I have figured out the best pass for the problem area on the right jawline, which allows me to shave it close enough that touch-ups aren't warranted. Today's shave is better than my typical 28/30, but not quite up to my 29/30 shaves. Awesome Sauce is a mentholated soap, an homage to Porasco Green, I am not a fan or a hater of menthol, but it is a welcomed change when I use it. You get quite an invigorating rush of menthol coolness during the shave and I can see those who like it and I can also understand those who do care for it. For me, every once in a while is the Goldiloc timing. The Canoe EDT Splash pairs nicely with it, although it is not as strong as a true EDT.

I got pulled over this morning heading to work, somehow I missed the patrolman lying in wait in the medium of the highway. I pulled into the church parking lot, which is on the way to work. I got the old man on a Beemer treatment, just a warning for 74 in a 60. Maybe Fr Dwight saw me and said a prayer as well. Memories of the weekend are still fresh and I am showing my techs the pics and reminiscing with them, all is grand in the land. I want to wish all a blessed Monday, may all your shaves be the best.

View attachment 1833916

The Nacet is great, and slow down, old man!

 

[cajunrph]

The Nacet is great, and slow down, old man!

I'm glad none of his brethren were on the redneck Autobahn Saturday as I blew through the coastal plains of South Texas headed home, I was in excess of that speed for quite a while. The Beemer is built for high-speed travel. I shall be on the lookout for them going forward.

 

[Jay21]

I'm glad none of his brethren were on the redneck Autobahn Saturday as I blew through the coastal plains of South Texas headed home, I was in excess of that speed for quite a while. The Beemer is built for high-speed travel. I shall be on the lookout for them going forward.

I drove across Texas on I-40 once. I'll have to tell you sometime about the story of the empty gas tank, the world's largest metal cross, and the miracle that took place at the gas station near it.

 

[cajunrph]

I drove across Texas on I-40 once. I'll have to tell you sometime about the story of the empty gas tank, the world's largest metal cross, and the miracle that took place at the gas station near it.

Sounds like a great story.

 

[Jay21]

Sounds like a great story.

Actually, that’s most of the story, LOL.

 

[thombrogan]

I shall be on the lookout

Having learned how to drive in Massachusetts, I thought if you’re able to see, you’re driving too slow.

 

[Jay21]

Actually, that’s most of the story, LOL.

Ok, here's the story.

It must have been 2007. I was driving a rental car solo from Alabama to New Mexico. Since it was a rental, I wasn't fully familiar with how many miles I could squeeze out of a tank of gas, and this was long before the dashboards had the gauges that told you how many miles you had left before the tank ran dry.

I was driving along I-40, which is the straightest, flatest, and boringest highway in the world. There aren't many towns along exits once you hit a certain stretch in Texas. I usually have the road trip policy to never let a tank get below 1/4, but there weren't many places to stop and I had gone under 1/4. At one point, the needle was getting pretty close to E, so I had to stop for gas before too long. Otherwise, I'd be baked alive on this highway. However, there wasn't an exit for a good while. I finally came to one, which was a one stoplight, one gas station town. Looked pretty sketchy. The gas station was straight out of a horror movie. I swear there was a fight going on out front and I'm pretty sure I witnessed a drug deal going down. There was a dog tied to a chain, but the chain was broken and not tied to anything. And it looked angry. To make matters worse, when I pulled up to a pump, it was one of those old ones with analog rolling numbers and no pay at the pump option. So to quote Vanilla Ice, “Did you stop? No, I just drove by. Kept on, pursuin' to the next stop."

I entered back on I-40 with an unknown future and fate in search of gas. Surely, there had to be another town soon, right?

Nope.

I kept on cruising, expecting to run out of gas at any time. The needle was now so far beyond E that it wrapped up to the F on the other side. Oddly, there were no other cars on the interstate. I thought I was surely going to die out there and vultures seemed to be circling above. Time was running out and it didn't look good.

Then, waaaaaay, way on the horizon, I saw a small cross. I did a double take. Yep, it was a cross. I kept driving. As more miles got laid down, the cross got a little bigger. Slowly, slowly, slowly, it got bigger on the horizon. I prayed I had enough gas to get to whatever was under that cross. Then, I saw a huge road sign that said, "World's Largest Metal Cross, 5 miles." Please, please, please let there be enough fumes in this tank to get me 5 miles.

Sure enough, I made it to the next exit. I basically coasted into a gas station at the bottom of the exit that was literally in the shadow of this massive cross. I never felt so fortunate to overpay for price-gouged gas in my life.

Folks, miracles do happen. That was one that happened to me. The gas station under the world's biggest cross.

 

[cranewarrior]

I was driving along I-40, which is the straightest, flatest, and boringest highway in the world. There aren't many towns along exits once you hit a certain stretch in Texas.

I grew up not too far from Amarillo. It is flat and full of tumbleweeds and wild critters. Not a horrible place for a political refugee to learn American, though.

 

[cajunrph]

Ok, here's the story.

It must have been 2007. I was driving a rental car solo from Alabama to New Mexico. Since it was a rental, I wasn't fully familiar with how many miles I could squeeze out of a tank of gas, and this was long before the dashboards had the gauges that told you how many miles you had left before the tank ran dry.

I was driving along I-40, which is the straightest, flatest, and boringest highway in the world. There aren't many towns along exits once you hit a certain stretch in Texas. I usually have the road trip policy to never let a tank get below 1/4, but there weren't many places to stop and I had gone under 1/4. At one point, the needle was getting pretty close to E, so I had to stop for gas before too long. Otherwise, I'd be baked alive on this highway. However, there wasn't an exit for a good while. I finally came to one, which was a one stoplight, one gas station town. Looked pretty sketchy. The gas station was straight out of a horror movie. I swear there was a fight going on out front and I'm pretty sure I witnessed a drug deal going down. There was a dog tied to a chain, but the chain was broken and not tied to anything. And it looked angry. To make matters worse, when I pulled up to a pump, it was one of those old ones with analog rolling numbers and no pay at the pump option. So to quote Vanilla Ice, “Did you stop? No, I just drove by. Kept on, pursuin' to the next stop."

I entered back on I-40 with an unknown future and fate in search of gas. Surely, there had to be another town soon, right?

Nope.

I kept on cruising, expecting to run out of gas at any time. The needle was now so far beyond E that it wrapped up to the F on the other side. Oddly, there were no other cars on the interstate. I thought I was surely going to die out there and vultures seemed to be circling above. Time was running out and it didn't look good.

Then, waaaaaay, way on the horizon, I saw a small cross. I did a double take. Yep, it was a cross. I kept driving. As more miles got laid down, the cross got a little bigger. Slowly, slowly, slowly, it got bigger on the horizon. I prayed I had enough gas to get to whatever was under that cross. Then, I saw a huge road sign that said, "World's Largest Metal Cross, 5 miles." Please, please, please let there be enough fumes in this tank to get me 5 miles.

Sure enough, I made it to the next exit. I basically coasted into a gas station at the bottom of the exit that was literally in the shadow of this massive cross. I never felt so fortunate to overpay for price-gouged gas in my life.

Folks, miracles do happen. That was one that happened to me. The gas station under the world's biggest cross.

Great story, it is always an "interesting" ride when the fuel gets that low. I-10, I-20, and I-40 in Texas have long straights without towns, it is tricky on a motorcycle, you never pass up a chance to fuel. I would have had to change at the shady town, hopefully that wasn't the location they filmed the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

 

[Jay21]

hopefully that wasn't the location they filmed the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

It might have been.

 

[blethenstrom]

Great story, it is always an "interesting" ride when the fuel gets that low. I-10, I-20, and I-40 in Texas have long straights without towns, it is tricky on a motorcycle, you never pass up a chance to fuel. I would have had to change at the shady town, hopefully that wasn't the location they filmed the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

"Let's hide in the shed with all the chainsaws........."

 

[Phoenixkh]

Montana is like that too... the towns are often 200 miles apart... I learned that same lesson.... never let your gas gauge get under 1/2 full, instead of 1/4, if you can avoid it... and in the winter... wow... Montana winters were brutal when I was a kid... We had lots of stretches for weeks with the temperatures never getting up to zero during the day... We all had head bolt heaters and kept them plugged in at night... but if you let your gas tank less than half full.... you'd get frozen lines from condensation.... I only did that once... laying on your back in subzero weather with a propane torch.. held far enough away so as not to ignite the gas.... I tried a hair dryer first... nothing doing.. It was just too cold.

 

[blethenstrom]

Montana is like that too... the towns are often 200 miles apart... I learned that same lesson.... never let your gas gauge get under 1/2 full, instead of 1/4, if you can avoid it... and in the winter... wow... Montana winters were brutal when I was a kid... We had lots of stretches for weeks with the temperatures never getting up to zero during the day... We all had head bolt heaters and kept them plugged in at night... but if you let your gas tank less than half full.... you'd get frozen lines from condensation.... I only did that once... laying on your back in subzero weather with a propane torch.. held far enough away so as not to ignite the gas.... I tried a hair dryer first... nothing doing.. It was just too cold.

Yep I remember being a fresh driver through the first winter in Sweden going to the gas station at -20 F or so and just getting a little trickle of flow from the gas station. The gas had formed icicles on the filler tube. Then you learned about this stuff to add to your gas tank. Lowers the freezing temperature of the gasoline and prevents fuel plugs in the lines. You always kept a stash of these anytime you filled up. This was especially important with carburetor cars.

 

[Phoenixkh]

Yep I remember being a fresh driver through the first winter in Sweden going to the gas station at -20 F or so and just getting a little trickle of flow from the gas station. The gas had formed icicles on the filler tube. Then you learned about this stuff to add to your gas tank. Lowers the freezing temperature of the gasoline and prevents fuel plugs in the lines. You always kept a stash of these anytime you filled up. This was especially important with carburetor cars.
View attachment 1834016

I used a gas additive in one of my favorite cars, among the few I've owned... a 1978 Volve 242, manual... to prevent gas line freezing, etc... But it turns out.. it melted the nylon in the fuel pump... ouch... I should have stuck with just "dry gas"...

 

[cajunrph]

but if you let your gas tank less than half full.... you'd get frozen lines from condensation.... I only did that once... laying on your back in subzero weather with a propane torch.

I'm not going to complain about the heat and humidity of Texas anymore.

 

[mcee_sharp]

I'm not going to complain about the heat and humidity of Texas anymore.

I never complain about heat, but I HATE humidity. Hottest temp I've experienced was 60C in Ethiopia, thankfully very dry. I can also "enjoy" -20C if it's dry.

I begin to whine and complain if there's humidity at any temperature though